12.30.2015

For my last Vegetable of the Month, I decided on green beans! I actually don't mind the taste of green beans, but usually just steam them when I make them as a side dish. I know, not very exciting. So, I decided it was high time to see what else the green bean world had to offer.

I've actually enjoyed this recipe before. My older sister makes it, and it's a favorite of the entire extended family. It's been some time since I've had it though, so I decided to try making it myself. The green beans end up with a nice crunch, and the combination of the green bean and tomato is just fantastic. Bill and I loved it, but unfortunately neither kid would touch it. Anyway, it's super easy and quick to prepare. I will definitely be making this one again. Yum!

I thought this recipe was only okay. The beans had very little flavor, and all I could taste were the bread crumbs. I also didn't like the texture of the beans and felt they lost a lot of their great crunch by baking them. The sriracha sauce was good (although a tad spicy for my tastes), and definitely enhanced the recipe, but overall it was a lot of work for very little return. I was actually the only one to try these (Bill wasn't around, and neither kid was interested). This one was miss for me. Bummer.

I hope you enjoyed this series. It was quite an experiment, but one I'm glad I did.

12.28.2015

I've been off from work since last Wednesday, and between all our Christmas festivities was actually able to get out to the movies three different times!

First up, Sisters starring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.

When the Ellis sisters find out their parents are selling their childhood home, they decide to throw one last party like the crazy ones they used to throw back in high school - but for very different reasons. One needs to start putting herself back out there after a divorce, and the other is trying to stall going back to her pretty messed up real life. When the party starts to get a bit out of control, they'll have to rely on each other like they've never done before; and soon come to realize home is not a place, but rather a feeling instead.

There is no denying the chemistry between Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. They're just so much fun to watch. I'll admit though, Sisters wasn't as funny as I was hoping it would be. I think my expectations may have probably been to high. It was cute and all, but there was actually only one moment in the whole film that had me busting out in laughter. It's a fun movie, but one you can definitely wait for the DVD.

Next up, The Big Short starring Brad Pitt, Ryan Gosling, and Steve Carell.

The Big Short tells the story of a select few individuals that had the foresight to predict the collapse of the housing market in the mid-2000's. They bet against what was seen as the most stable and low-risk market out there, and profited greatly from the greedy and broken American banking system.

I really had no desire to see this movie, but found it to be surprisingly interesting. In some ways, it felt like watching a documentary, but the big name stars and clever tricks used made the somewhat dry and complicated subject matter much more interesting and lively. The broke the fourth wall, and talked to the camera often. They brought in random celebrities (Margot Robbie, Anthony Bourdain, and Selena Gomez) to explain unfamiliar banking terms and ideas to the audience in a fun way. It was a such a great David and Goliath story with, unfortunately, no clear winner. Great performances by all, but Steve Carell was the definite stand-out. Again though, you'll enjoy this one just as much from the comfort of your living room.

Last but not least, Bill and I saw Star Wars: The Force Awakens!

Orphaned scavenger, Rey (Daisy Ridley), finds herself in the middle of an intergalactic war between the Resistance and the First Order. Aided by ex-Stormtrooper, Finn (John Boyega), she goes on an extraordinary adventure (meeting some very familiar faces along the way), and soon realizes she is stronger than she ever thought she could be.

I'm not exactly sure what I was expecting from Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but it apparently was exactly what I wanted. Wow! I enjoyed it so, so much. There were many, many similarities to the original film, but for me, that was not a bad thing. I felt it was a great homage to a film beloved by so many. It acknowledged the past, all the while setting up for what looks to be a really exciting new story. Daisy Ridley was the break-out star here. Rey was such an amazingly strong female character. I can't wait to introduce her to my daughter. Her, combined with the nostalgia factor of seeing Hans Solo and the Millennium Falcon on screen again, made for a really fantastic film. It was funny, it was sad, it was escapism in its finest form. I loved it. If you can get out to the theater to see only one movie this holiday season, this is the one!!

12.23.2015

With Christmas just a few days away, I knew I had to get cracking on our Christmas cookies. I couldn't leave Santa hanging on Christmas Eve, you know!?! We made sugar cookies again this year (recipe here), along with Bill's favorite cookie bars (recipe here).

Last week, when Seamus was down for a nap, Madeleine helped me make the dough. As you can see, she takes her baking very seriously.

We did quite a bit of quality control taste testing on our dough too. We tasted it, and then we tasted it again to make sure we would the highest quality sugar cookie. Salmonella be damned!

Before we got to decorating the sugar cookies though, Bill and the kids made his favorite cookie (or bar rather). There were many chocolate chips consumed during the process.

Then, we moved on to decorating the sugar cookies. We started with my preferred way of decorating them. First you roll and cut out the shapes, then you brush them with egg whites, then you douse with sugar crystals or nonpareils, and then you bake. It's fun and a really easy way for little ones to decorate.

I also love how they taste - just the natural sweet taste of the sugar cookie, with a little bit of oompf. Plus, I love how the softness of the sugar cookie juxtaposes with the crunch of the sugar crystals and nonpareils when you bite into it. So, yummy!

Bill prefers Royal Icing on his sugar cookies. We cut and baked just our snowman shape to decorate that way, but we won't be able to finish them until tomorrow. I'll update this post when that happens.

What are your must-have Christmas cookies each year?

UPDATE: As promised, a quick look at our Royal Icing Snowman Sugar Cookies. Bill made the icing (yes, you read that right) and he and Madeleine decorated them (although I helped a little bit with the face and nose).

I love how these cookies look, but they are way too sweet for me in taste. Bill and the kids just love them though.

12.21.2015

One more thing checked off of the Holiday To-Do List - SANTA!! We headed over to our neighborhood mall early on Sunday and were first in line to see Santa Claus. We actually ended up being the second family to see him though, as apparently you can make reservations to see Santa now. How did I not know about this? We're totally doing it next year.

Anyway, the kids opted to go together this year, and they both did great. Madeleine asked for a Miles from Tomorrowland Blastboard and Seamus asked for Paw Patrol. He wasn't specific about anything though, just Paw Patrol.

Oh, and Madeleine had a "Santa" come visit the kids at her school recently, and some little punk kid told her that he was not the real Santa, but someone just dressed as Santa. No matter what I said, she would not believe me that the "Santa" from her school was real. I was a little worried how she would react to this visit now that the seed of doubt has been planted. I breathed a sigh of relief when she declared the mall Santa was definitely the real Santa. It made me want to put them in a little snow globe to keep them safe from all outside influence for just a bit longer, you know?

12.18.2015

Moving along with my Pop Sugar 2015 Reading Challenge, I recently read The Shining by Stephen King and Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster by Dana Thomas. The Shining marked off "A book that scares you" and Deluxe marked off "A book on the bottom of your to-read list".

First up, The Shining.

Recovering alcoholic, Jack Torrance, sees his new job as the winter caretaker of the Overlook Hotel as a fresh start. He'll have plenty of time to work on his writing, and build back up some of the trust he has lost with his wife, Wendy, and their 5-year old son, Danny who is gifted with the ability to see things that others cannot. As the harsh winter begins to close in on them, slowly isolating them from the outside world, Danny sees that supernatural forces are at work at the hotel that slowly begin changing his father. As Jack descends into madness, Danny and his mother are exposed to serious dangers and fearful they will not survive the winter.

I've actually read a lot of Stephen King in my time, but somehow have never gotten around to The Shining. I'm very glad I rectified that, as I enjoyed The Shining so much. Stephen King is such a wonderfully descriptive writer. He set up the hotel and its wooded surroundings in such a way that I was able to picture it all perfectly. The characters were all amazing too. Jack was extremely complex - very broken, but you felt his desire to change. Unfortunately, he was just too weak to withstand the stronghold of the hotel. Danny was vulnerable, but strong; and Wendy...talk about a mama bear! She was so strong and protective. In addition, the hotel was an amazing character in its own right as well. It was all very creepy, and I was legitimately scared of those hedge animals!! At some point, however, the book lost momentum, and I suddenly wasn't really scared anymore. It still kept me intrigued and engaged until the end though, and overall, I was extremely impressed with The Shining.

Next up, Deluxe: How Luxury Lost Its Luster.

There was a time when luxury goods were available only to those that possessed extraordinary wealth and social standing. The brands that made such goods were more than just the superior quality products they produced, and provided those lucky enough to afford them with truly decadent buying experiences as well. Today, however, luxury has become all about profit. Unique brands that once prided themselves on producing only the highest of quality handmade goods have all been purchased by the same few multi-billion dollar global corporations; which now mass market inferior products to the general public who are only interested in the name on the label. Deluxe provides a rare behind-the-scenes view of the current luxury fashion industry.

I asked for and received this book as a Christmas gift when it was first published back in 2007. Then, it sat on my bookshelf for 8 years!! I always meant to read it, but there just always seemed to be something else I wanted to read more. I'm glad I finally gave it a go because it was such an interesting and eye-opening read. Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci, and all the rest...they're basically all crap now! They used to be amazing and represented true luxury; but as the founders passed away and time went on big business swallowed them all up, and now they're just well...labels. People still associate the names with wealth though, and everybody wants in on this illusion of luxury that is now much more affordable to all. I thought the book would be stale, but Dana Thomas's writing is vivid and colorful and takes the reader on an adventure that spans the entire globe. You'll never look at your handbags quite the same again.

All that being said, a book like this has a very niche audience. If you're not into fashion or business, then you'd probably be best to skip it.

12.16.2015

This year's Lundie holiday card is officially in the mail. With all the craziness in the world lately, I decided on a simple "Peace on Earth" theme. We also had a semi-decent family picture to use. I know, I was shocked too.

I used Shutterfly again this year. They're good quality cards, have a great selection, and are really decently priced. I also had an extra $10 off coupon, so it was a no brainer.

Do you have your cards out yet? Do you do the photo card? How do you display them in your house? I have all the ones we've received taped around our kitchen window. It's so much fun to look at them each day!

Just for the record, this was not a paid for or sponsored post (I wish). I think this is a good product, so I just wanted to share.

12.14.2015

Just a quick post to officially document this year's Christmas tree. It's pretty much decorated exactly like last year's (see here), but it still makes me happy.

I attempted to get a good picture of the tree in the dark again too. I even did a little research this year on camera settings and everything! I think it turned out a bit better than last year. A little more crisp at least.

So, the tree may look the same, but we did add some new Hallmark ornaments to our little collection this year.

First off, our Elf on the Shelf (whose name is Ray by the way) dropped off two ornaments for the kids on December 1st.

These are both series ornaments started for the kids in 2013. Madeleine has the elf series, which looks a lot cuter in person. Seamus has the Santa Certified series, which is one of the best series Hallmark has had in a long while.

Miniature ornaments make me happy, and they also hang really well at the very top of the tree. I thought the pink doughnut box was just too cute. The snowman ornament is the first in a new series - also miniature. Finally, the bubble lights reminded me of the bubble lights my dad always put on our Christmas tree growing up, so I got that one as well.

Next up, courtesy of my mom, some more for the kids! From Frozen, Anna for Madeleine and Olaf for Seamus.

12.11.2015

It wouldn't be December without the annual Victoria's Secret Fashion Show! I love fashion and I love costume design, so it's always a must-see for me. Here's a run-down of the entire show (all 75 looks, in order). Enjoy!

With a mash-up cover of Pat Benatar's Heartbreaker playing in the background, Behati Prinsloo (aka Mrs. Adam Levine) opened the show. I loved the velvet orange fringe jacket, purple cuffs, and boots. I wasn't a fan of the "wings" though. I thought the color (especially that red) didn't work well, and they seemed to stiff for such a flowy outfit.

Behati Prinsloo | Namibia

Lily Aldridge (my current favorite model) was next. This was a pretty good look (although not quite on theme). Loved the jacket and the boots were fun.

Lily Aldridge | USA

Jasmine Tooke's look moved really well on the runway. Again though, the wings seemed off in color and too stiff for such a fluid look.

Jasmine Tookes | USA

I absolutely loved Candice Swanepoel's ensemble here. I would have opened the show with this one. The colors were so pretty, and finally some really great wings! She worked the heck out of the runway too.

Candace Swanepoel | South Africa

Leomie Anderson had a lot of fun with her one look of the show. The poncho moved really well on the runway, and the colors looked great on her.

Leomie Anderson | UK

Kendall Jenner (aka the only Kardashian I can stand) made her VS Fashion Show debut. This was a really nice look. The colors were great, and the skirt was fabulous. She did seem a little stiff though - nerves? Also, did they really need to cut to Kris and Caitlyn Jenner in the audience? Let the girl just have her moment!

Kendall Jenner | USA

Martha Hunt's look was definitely on theme - so much fringe! Great colors, and those boots!!

Martha Hunt | USA

Another great print used for Joan Small's cape. This moved really great on the runway. Loved the colors.

Joan Smalls | Puerto Rico

The base of Romee Strijd's outfit is cute, but those wings were not the right choice. If they were going to add wings to this look, they should have been full of fringe. Am I right?

Romee Strijd | Netherlands

Maria Borges's (aka the only short haired model in the whole show) ensemble moved really well on the runway too. She had some serious hoop earrings on as well. Super cute look!

Maria Borges | Angola

I wasn't feeling Taylor Hill's get-up. If it was any other color, it probably would have worked for me; but the black just seemed way off theme, and the wings were too severe.

Taylor Hill | USA

Josephine Skriver gets the job done in this colorful coat and boots.

Josephine Skriver | Denmark

Elsa Hosk's psychedelic robe looked great on the runway. This look was fun, and had a great dramatic effect too. It should have ended the segment, but...

Elsa Hosk | Sweden

They decided to end with this?!? Poor, Kate Grigorieva's ensemble was so off theme, and those pants were just horrible. What happened here? This entire look should have just been cut.

The next segment was started off by The Weeknd performing In the Night, while super model Alessandra Ambrosio took the stage in a fairly generic white number. The wings were disappointing too, but I did love the shoes.

Alessandra Ambrosio | Brazil

Beautiful wings for Lily Donaldson - so soft in both feel and color. Great look.

Lily Donaldson | UK

For Kendall Jenner's final look of the night, she wore this lovely soft green outfit. I really liked the coat on this one. The bead work on it (and most other looks from this segment) looks amazing.

Kendall Jenner | USA

Sanne Vloet's pale pink ensemble brought a lot of drama. The high neck, corset, and train all combined for a great runway look. One of the best from this segment.

Sanne Vloet | Netherlands

Sue He's look fell a little flat. The colors did not flatter her skin tone, and there wasn't much visual interest to it.

Sue He | China

I was also pretty disappointed by Gracie Carvalho's only outfit. It looks like they just threw a coat over some underwear and called it a day. It's a pretty coat, mind you, but it wasn't enough to make a memorable look. (This may be a rehearsal photo though, as she was wearing a pretty fabulous necklace when I watched it on tv.)

Gracie Carvalho | Brazil

I liked the drama of Bruna Lirio's ensemble, but I wasn't a fan of the black and yellow combo. It moved really well on the runway though.

Bruna Lirio | USA

There wasn't much to Vita Sidorkina's look either, I'm afraid. I was actually really surprised by the lack of wings in this entire segment. It seemed perfectly suited for lots of classic angel wings.

Vita Sidorkina | Russia

Compared to the last couple of looks, Flavia Lucini's outfit looked amazing. The puffed sleeves were a little weird; but the corset was great, and the train added drama.

Flavia Lucini | Brazil

I was happy to finally see some wings on Jaquelyn Jablonski's ensemble, but, on a whole, this wasn't a great look. I would have lost the feathers on the bodice and added more sparkle there instead.

Jaquelyn Jablonski | USA

Cindy Bruna's black and nude number worked for me. The feminine and feathered coat juxtaposed with the black lingerie made striking combination. It also moved really well on the runway. Nice!

Cindy Bruna | France

Izabel Goulart rocked her black feathered and gold winged look (loved her hair flip at the end of the runway). It seemed a little hard and edgy for the theme, but overall, I liked it.

Izabel Goulart | Brazil

I didn't love the blue/grey and black color combination on Constance Jablonski's ensemble though. The bow was a creative twist on the wings, but other than that I wasn't feeling this.

Constance Jablonski | France

The blue/grey and black combo appeared again in Jasmine Tooke's second look. It was pretty enough; but the wings didn't really pop, and again, I'm always looking for a "wow" look to end a segment, and well, this didn't wow.

Ellie Goulding sang Army as supermodel, Adriana Lima, took the stage for the first time. I actually liked the wings made of butterflies, but was disappointed in the lingerie here - where was the color? The butterfly shoes were pretty sweet though.

Adriana Lima | Brazil

Gigi Hadid made her VS Fashion Show debut in this green and black number. The color and pattern on this look was lovely, and the large butterfly and train really added the drama. Great look!

Gigi Hadid | USA

I liked the colors and texture of Sara Sampaio's look. It gets the job done.

Sara Sampaio | Portugal

Stella Maxwell's ensemble had great wings, and a really interesting bodice too. The shoes weren't working for me here though. They would have been better if they incorporated some of the colors from the bodice instead.

Stella Maxwell | Ireland

I liked Pauline Hoarau's look for the most part. It had some visual interest and moved well on the runway.

Pauline Hoarau | France

Shanina Shaik's outfit worked for me too. It looked better on stage then it does in this picture. The skirt really caught the light and shimmered nicely.

Shanina Shaik | Australia

The colors of Jac Jagaciak's look came out of nowhere. Surprisingly, this look didn't even move that well on the runway either. This was a miss for me.

Jac Jagaciak | Poland

I wasn't feeling Daniela Braga's look either. The wings just sort of blended into the background, the boots were a little too much, and I didn't like the cut or color combination of the bodice either.

Daniela Braga | Brazil

The top half of Ming Xi's outfit was cute, but the boots totally clashed. Just awful.

Ming Xi | China

Barbara Fiahlo's look worked for me (although it does read more bird than butterfly). The feathers add a lot of visual interest, and the colors are great. I don't love the boots, but they worked better here than in any of the other looks.

Barbara Fialho | Brazil

Magdalena Frackowiak's number was pretty bad as well. The wings blended in too much with the background, and again with fugly boots!!

Magdalena Frackowiak | Poland

Valery Kaufman's ensemble was very pretty, especially compared to some of the ones prior. The colors were lovely, and the cape was gorgeous. It sparkled like crazy on the runway. Great look.

Valery Kaufman / Russia

Finally, a "wow" look to end the segment. Lais Ribeiro got the best wings of the night. The colors here were perfect - so soft and pretty. The wings were the star though. They were big and fluid and moved great down the runway. Beautiful!

Selena Gomez performed next, and set the tone singing her song, Me & My Girls. Her stage wear waspretty bad, but not as bad as this entire segment. Seriously, this entire segment was like watching one bad Halloween costume after another.

Taylor Hill started off the segment in this crazy superhero get-up. Surprisingly, this was actually one of the better looks of the segment.

Taylor Hill | USA

Rachel Hilbert's outfit was probably one of the worst of the entire night. They just threw a hoodie over some underwear! What happened here?

Rachel Hilbert | USA

Megan Puleri's look was just alright. There was just no stage presence to any of these looks. So, disappointing.

Megan Puleri | USA

Yumi Lambert got one of the cuter looks of this segment. It's kind of boring, but at least it wasn't laughable.

Yumi Lambert | Belgium

Now, I actually kind of liked Maud Welzen's look. It wasn't a showstopper or anything, but it was cute and fun.

Maud Welzen | Netherlands

The best part of Ming Xi's look were the shoes.

Ming Xi | China

The white hat and boots of Leila Nda's outfit were not working for me. This one might have been saved with a little better styling.

Gigi Hadid's look was pretty cute for what it was - a Halloween costume.

Gigi Hadid | USA

Josephine Skriver's outfit read as straight up stripper! There is nothing remotely creative or unique about this look.

Josephine Skriver | Denmark

Finally, this segment came to an end, with Devon Windsor sporting this crazy surfer look. I'm at a loss for words.

Devon Windsor | USA

Theme 5 - Ice Angels

"Escape on an opulent holiday in winter-whites, sparkly crystals & the stuff of snow princesses."

Ellie Goulding took the stage again, and performed Love Me Like You Do. Candace Swanepoel opened the segment in one of my favorite looks of the night. The crystals on the bodysuit sparkled like crazy on the runway. Combined with the wings, she looked like a beautiful snowflake.

Another pretty snowflake look here. I liked the bodysuit Elsa Houk wore, and the mittens and ear muffs were a nice, whimsical addition.

Elsa Hosk | Sweden

Barbara Fialho's bodysuit and boots were amazing, but I wasn't loving the tumbleweed looking balls hanging off her.

Barbara Fialho | Brazil

I really liked the corset on Izabel Goulart's, but I thought this look could have handled a more substantial wing. Not bad though.

Izabel Goulart | Brazil

This next look would have worked better on another model. Unfortunately, for Sue He, she is looking pretty washed out here. The earmuffs were a bad idea here as well. There was enough fur and feathers around her face as it was. It's all just crowding her.

Sue He | China

I really liked Lily Donaldson's wings. She looks like a snowball! She's showing a lot of skin here, so the earmuffs and mittens worked well to balance the look.

Lily Donaldson | UK

Stella Maxwell's look was only okay. I preferred the earlier ski bunny look to this one.

For the final (and my favorite) theme of the night, The Weeknd took the stage again and performed Can't Feel My Face. Lily Aldridge opened the segment wearing this year's Fantasy Bra. This was a really great look. The firework wings were fun and colorful, and I loved her boots too!

Lily Aldridge | USA

Loved the colors of Alessandra Ambrosio's final look of the night. You can tell she's a pro, as she modeled the heck out of what is actually a pretty basic look.

Alessandra Ambrosio | Brazil

I loved Cindy Bruna's bodysuit. It sparkled like mad on the runway. Super fun look!

Cindy Bruna | France

Adriana Lima's colorful outfit gets the job done.

Adriana Lima | Brazil

The wings on Joan Smalls's outfit actually spun in a circle, which was pretty cool. I didn't quite understand the snake things on her, but overall this was a good look.

Joan Smalls | Puerto Rico

They're showing just white here, but the LED wings on Behati Prinsloo's outfit lit up in all different colors. It looked super cool on the runway.

Devon Windsor's final look was just okay in my book. I liked the colors, but it was definitely one of the weakest looks in this segment.

Devon Windsor | USA

I thought Sara Sampaio's wings were really cute. This was a pretty simple look, but it really worked for me. Good job!

Sara Sampaio | Portugal

I'd say, the coloring was a little off on Constance Jablonski's outfit. I would have replaced all the white areas with the fun jewel tones of the other looks. This one was just okay.

Constance Jablonski | France

Martha Hunt closed out the show with this final look. I loved the bodice, and the LED glowing wings were cool. You know me, though. I would have loved to see some bigger wings to really add the drama. This was a really good look, but not the mother of all "wow" looks I was expecting to close the show.

Martha Hunt | USA

Did you watch this year's show? What did you think? Who's your favorite model? Did you think Kendall Jenner deserved the job? What was your favorite look of the night?

All photos from here, except for Magdalena Frackowiak's which was from here.